Discovering that your child has searched for eating disorders on the internet can be disturbing, but it doesn’t necessarily mean there is reason to worry.

There can be acceptable reasons for such a search, it could be for a school project, or perhaps they are worried about a friend and are looking up information to find out more about their condition and how to help them.

If your child is generally active, eating healthy amounts of food and they give you an explanation you can accept then things are probably fine.

Try to find out the types of sites they are looking at. Are they research sites that describe eating disorders and their symptoms? Or are they sites that actually promote eating disorders as a lifestyle choice?

‘Thinspiration’ is defined as any content that inspires people to be thinner, and includes images and videos of usually famous thin people.

Many of these sites have been created by people with eating disorders who falsely believe that they are well and that anorexia is a lifestyle choice. These type of websites contain materials that encourage others through starvation or purging.

Because anorexia and bulimia go by the code names ’ana’ and ’mia’ these sites are often referred to as pro-ana and pro-mia. They range from promotion of eating disorders with information on how best to further develop the disorder, to sites that provide a great deal of pro-recovery content – such as Beat’s.

Look into your child’s video viewing history. People with eating disorders seek out sites such as YouTube where there are thousands of videos designed to encourage those with eating disorders in their quest to be thinner, plus tips and tricks for achieving their goals.

Have a gentle conversation to ask why your child was visiting these sites before jumping to conclusions. A common misperception is that only girls struggle with eating disorders. Males can also struggle with eating disorders so the same level of concern should be applied to both.

Parents should always keep an eye out for dramatic weight loss that is either obvious, or is being masked by multiple layers of clothing - a common tactic used by people with eating disorders.

If you do find cause for concern then contact your GP for help. The sooner you seek support, the better the chances of your child overcoming these serious psychiatric illnesses and go on to lead a normal, fulfilling and healthy life.

There is a great deal of information available on the Beat website and Beat’s helplines and messageboards are a source of help and support to worried parents and carers.

For more information visitb-eat.co.ukor call the helpline on 0845 634 1414.